The Joplin 1971 Tornado

On May 5, 1971, a tornado struck Joplin, Missouri. It was near dusk, and most of the town was sitting down to dinner. The tornado dropped in for supper and stayed on the ground for almost 40 blocks through the center of town. During its rampage through Joplin, it killed one man and injured almost 50 people.

The Joplin tornado was one of a cluster of more than a dozen confirmed tornados in southwest Missouri that evening.

This picture book documents the storm’s destructive pass through town in black and white photos.


This project has been made possible by a Library Services and Technology Grant administered by the Missouri State Library, a division of the office of the Missouri Secretary of State.